Disaster Recovery Improvement Act - Directs the President to issue and begin to implement regulations required by the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act (Stafford Act) regarding the repair, restoration, reconstruction, and replacement of public facilities damaged or destroyed by a major disaster to provide for cost estimation procedures that expedite recovery and to reduce the costs and time for completion of recovery projects through the creation of financial and performance incentives.
Amends such Act to require a decision regarding an appeal of any decision regarding eligibility for, or the amount of, federal disaster assistance to be rendered within 60 (currently, 90) days after the designated federal official receives notice of the appeal. Requires: (1) the federal official to provide a written explanation to the applicant of a failure to satisfy that requirement, and (2) the President to transmit quarterly reports on such failures.
Directs the Administrator of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), in cooperation with representatives of state and local emergency management agencies, to review, update, and revise through rulemaking the factors considered when evaluating a governor's request for a major disaster declaration to measure the severity, magnitude, and impact of a disaster, in order to provide more objective criteria for evaluating the need for assistance to individuals and to speed such declaration.
Authorizes the President, in any emergency, to provide assistance for rescue, care, shelter, and essential needs to individuals with household pets and service animals and to such pets and animals.